We keep hearing about a change of perception in the A's camp: how they're viewed from the outside and how they view themselves, as if a radically new season has arrived and they won't be surprising anyone this time. Is that really the case?

Checking some of the early forecasts for the American League West, it sounds as if an Oakland division title would be just as shocking as last year's. They're still the low-budget team in green and gold, hopeful of drawing 10,000 fans on any given night at the Coliseum ghost town. They still don't field a single position player with a glowing major-league track record, and Yoenis Céspedes represents their only player with superstar potential. They have a frightfully young pitching staff - not much change there - and their overall talent level is judged to be significantly inferior to that of the Angels and Rangers.

What's really changed in this division, I'd surmise, is the mood.

The A's know they're good. They have a very deep roster, a tension-free camp and a sense that last year's admirable team spirit is very much intact. Let's set aside the still-lowly Seattle Mariners and try to forget that the dreadful Houston Astros have somehow wandered into the American League. The big boys, for reasons having nothing to do with Oakland, are decidedly nervous.

How can you possibly put together a lineup featuring Albert Pujols, Mike Troutand Josh Hamiltonand not be favored to win any division in a runaway? Privately, the Angels are worried about Hamilton's veritable disappearance in a Texas uniform during last year's final week and wild-card playoff game, to say nothing of his personal history. They're alarmed that Pujols' numbers are in gradual decline. The rotation seems a bit suspect after Jered Weaver, and manager Mike Scioscia, once considered among the best in the game, has been decidedly uptight since analytics-conscious Jerry DiPototook over as general manager (and fired one of Scioscia's best friends, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher).

Put simply, the Angels always seem to look great. Top of the seventh, different story.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are trying not to admit that they choked away last year's division title - which they absolutely did. They wonder if Hamilton will have a monster season that makes them look foolish. Nelson Cruz's name surfaced in the Biogenesis scandal, in which more than two dozen players have been potentially linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Manager Ron Washingtondoesn't want to offend veteran second baseman Ian Kinslerby replacing him with Jurickson Profar, perhaps the game's best prospect (and a shortstop by trade, blocked there by Elvis Andrus), a crisis that may find Profar opening the season in the minors.

There's no telling how any of this sorts out. But count on this: The A's still have the luxury of "sneaking up" on people. When you're likened to a pesky little terrier and counter the Bentleys and Jaguars with a '71 Volkswagen bus, that's always how it works.

Senseless panic

If you're a young pitcher on the way up, increasing your annual workload by 30-odd innings is about as strenuous as brushing your teeth. So dismiss the stats-minded alarmists who claim such a development (last year) could be costly to A's pitchers Tommy Milone, A.J. Griffinand Dan Straily. The one to watch is Jarrod Parker, who jumped from 136 innings to 215 (minors, majors and postseason combined) after missing the 2010 season due to Tommy John surgery. In any case, A's fans should applaud the team's caution regarding all pitchers as the team launches an unusually long exhibition schedule (due to the World Baseball Classic) ... Thanks to the presence of Bruce Bochy, Dave Righetti, Mark Gardnerand Dick Tidrow, the Giants know pitching as well as anyone - and they're venturing into new territory with so many of their relievers in the WBC. Former Phillies star Brad Lidge, recalling his experience in the 2006 event, told reporters, "It feels like a bunch of playoff games. You're rearing back and throwing with everything you have, but in order to do that, so early in the year, you have to change something, and it can hurt you - mentally or physically - unless you're completely prepared." ... Love those "tentative guidelines" put forth by Commissioner Bud Seligwhen it comes to the A's move to Saturn - sorry, San Jose. Tell you what, Bud, let us know when the territorial-rights issue gets seriously addressed, or exactly how the A's will summon the necessary finances. Otherwise, we'll expect another four-year wait for some concrete news ... Everyone's wondering how a "drug-free" Melky Cabrerawill perform in Toronto, but who's to say he (or anyone busted by the testing program) will play it clean? Never forget the players and confidants offering these guys real-world advice: "You blew it, man. Just don't get caught this time."